Improvement in drums



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNS-ON MASON, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN DRUMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHNsON MAsON, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Military Side-Drums and I do hereby declare that the following is a ful7 clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, said drawing being a perspective view of my invention.

This invention relates to an improvement in straining the heads of the drum, whereby the heads may not only be strained separately but with equally as great facility as in the old mode of construction, and without rendering the drum any more cumbersome.

The invention consists in having two straining-cords, one for each head-hoop, in connection with double hook or pulley plates arranged or applied to the drum as hereinafter set forth.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the body or cylinder of the drum, which may be of wood or metal, constructed in the usual way and provided with the ordinary head-hoops B B, which are placed over the heads of the drum as usual. The hoops B B have metal hooks C fitted on them, as shown clearly in the drawing, and to the exterior of the body A of the drum there are attached two rows of plates, D, each plate having two hooks, c c', one at each end. The plates are secured to the body ofthe drum by screws b, which pass through their center into the drum, and, if necessary, into strips or cleats at the inner side of the drum, to admit ofthe screws having a sufficient bearing or 4 hold to secure the plates D to the drinn. t E E 'represent the strainingcords, which t pass over the hooks G and over the hooks ca of the plates D, as plainly shown in the drawing" F represents the slide-loops, which are placed on the straining-cords.

From the above description it will be seen that each head of the drum may not only be strained separately, but it will also be seen that they may be strained with great facility, as the portions of the cords on which the slideloops F are placed are of sufficient length to form narrow Vs, and with but the usual number of loops.

I ani aware that drums have been made with a separate straining-cord for each head, but they have been employed with a central hoop attached to the body of the drum. This arrangement involves the necessity ot' a large number ofslide-loops being used, as the spaces between the central hoop and the head-hoops are quite short, and consequently the cords require to be doubled frequently in order to have the Vs on which the slide-loops F are placed sufficiently narrow to admit of an easy movement of the slides. Besides the central hoop renders the drum somewhat cumbersome.

I would remark that instead of the hooks c a! pulleys may be used. These would ofcourse add something to the expense, but they would facilitate the straining of the heads. hooks O on the hoops B B may also be dispensed with, holes being bored through the hoops for the straining-cords to pass through.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment or use ot the plates D, provided each with two hooks, c c', or pulleys, and attached to the body or cylinder of the drinn, as described, in connection with the straining-cords E Ef, hoops B B', and with or without the hooks C, all arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

J. MASON Vitnesses:

Jos. CLEMENT, JNO. M. FARRAR.

The- 

